Garrett Crochet got his last start before the All-Star break against the Pirates. However, he was on an innings limit, so he would have adequate rest ahead of the All-Star Game in Texas next week. Crochet looked great.

Even Jonathan Cannon looked good despite his final line. Unfortunately, the White Sox offense heard the word break and assumed it had already started.

Crochet started the game with two straight punchouts to Andrew McCutchen and fellow All-Star Bryan Reynolds. A grounder from Connor Joe put the starting lineup out for an easy inning.

Marco Gonzalez was fresh off the injured list and also on an innings limit tonight. He started by taking down Tommy Pham with a nasty change. Andrew Vaughn got a one-out double, and a lucky break, by way of Nick Gonzalez tripping, put Eloy Jiménez on first. But Ke’Bryan Hayes snatched a foul ball from Lenyn Sosa to leave runners on the corners stranded to end the first.

The top of the second was a quick and easy inning for Crochet with two additional punch outs. He ended his outing with 28 pitches (22 of which were strikes) for two perfect innings.

Paul DeJong, the only batter who could put together a hit tonight, singled, but Corey Julks couldn’t reach first, allowing the Pirates to turn a double play and get the force out at first for Korey Lee right after.

Cannon came in for Crochet in the third. Danny Mendick took care of Jared Triolo’s grounder with some fancy footwork, and Cannon got Jack Suwinski to strike out but gave up a two-out double to Michael A. Taylor. McCutchen sent a ball out to right but was gloved to strand the runner.

Pham hit a one-out double, his tenth of the season, in the bottom of the third. Luis Robert Jr. managed to get an RBI single to put the White Sox on the board and keep the inning alive. Alas, Jiménez’s hit went right to third to get Robert out at second.

The top of the fourth was a clean inning for Cannon and Co., with a liner, strikeout, and grounder. DeJong singled again in the fourth, but a double play was once again turned to end the inning. During the fourth, Crochet was being interviewed and confessed to having a man crush on Gavin Sheets, so hopefully, that means more kissing in baseball.

Cannon gave up a single to Hayes in the fifth, who then started to go for second when Sosa missed Korey Lee’s throw and then advanced to third. The Pirates tied the game with a Joey Bart RBI single with no outs. Jared Triolo singled, but DeJong got the out at second. Taylor hit a sac fly to put the Pirates up 2-1. The Sox were retired in order.

Joe got a one-out single and was sent home after an RBI double from Nick Gonzalez, his 12th of the season, in the top of the sixth. Hayes hit the ball up the middle, straight to Sosa, who struggled to field it, sending Gonzalez home and the Pirates up by three with only one out. Bart hit into a double play to end the inning, but the damage had been done.

Carmen Mlodzinski came in to face Robert, who flew out to left. Jiménez grounded out again, and Sosa struck out. Not great, friends!

Cannon finally got a smooth inning that started with a smooth catch from Robert.

Andrew Benintendi came in to hit for Julks in the seventh and, surprise did nothing at all. The Sox are again retired in order and still down three.

Cannon gave up a leadoff double to Cutch to start the eighth. Jared Shuster started warming in the pen as Cannon gave up a walk to Joe, putting two on with just one out. Thankfully, there was a line out from Reynolds in between, and the inning ended with a fly out from Hayes. Colin Holderman entered the game for the Pirates and got a pitch clock violation right away. Danny Mendick started the inning off with a single, followed by Pham walking. Naturally, Vaughn flew out, and Robert hit into a double play to end the inning.

With Shuster still in for the ninth, he gave up a single to Bart and followed up with a walk to Jack Suwinski. Cutch popped one up for Sosa to glove and strand two runners. David Bednar came in to close, and despite his high ERA, the Sox couldn’t produce a single hit.

The Pirates took game one with minimal effort, but at least the Sox bullpen is somewhat rested for tomorrow.

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